TARDIF

The wild honey aromas and flavors we found present in the fruit continue to define this wine. Exotic tropical fruits, including mango and papaya, hazelnut, apricot, crème brûlée, vanilla, and sweet French oak all contribute to the astounding complexity of the 2008 Tardif. Not cloying or syrupy in any way, this wine is a magical nectar that pairs perfectly with crème brûlée.

Vineyard Notes

Swanson Vineyards farms the 75 acres on its Oavkille Cross Road Estate in the heart of the Oakville appellation, using only sustainable techniques. The clay-loam soils at this site are ideal for the production of the world-class wines produced by Swanson Vineyards.

Winemaker Notes

Chardonnay, one of the world's noble varietals, enjoys a particularly diverse lifestyle in our “heart-of-Cabernet-country” estate in Oakville. Extending his deft hand beyond the extraordinary Salon Chardonnay (a dead ringer for old world Burgundy...with hints of Chablis), winemaker Chris Phelps leaves a small bit of chardonnay fruit on the vine past harvest hoping for conditions conducive to the onset of the noble rot. The remarkable result is bottled in extremely limited quantities as the wine Tardif (French for late), our luscious and impossibly delicious Late Harvest Chardonnay.